By Tamas Mondovics
For the second time in less than three months, PNC Bank located at 112 W. Bloomingdale Ave. in Brandon was the target of a robbery in which the suspect threatened bank employees with the possible use of an explosive device.
According to HCSO officials, the most recent incident occurred on Monday, June 16 at approximately 10:08 a.m. as the unknown white male suspect entered the PNC Bank implying to bank employees that he had an explosive device.
Detectives said the suspect with a heavy German accent, 40-60 years of age, short facial hair, 5’8″ and 210-220 lbs. gave employees verbal commands and demanded money.
He obtained an undisclosed amount of currency and fled west on foot from the bank and was last seen wearing a camouflage hat, blue jeans, light tan long-sleeve button-down shirt, black mask over mouth and nose, sneakers and black messenger bag.
PNC bank is now offering a $10,000 reward for the arrest and conviction of this bank robbery suspect.
Similar to this robbery, but not believed to be related, was an earlier incident at the same bank where the suspect wore a full body painter’s suit that included a painter’s hood, clear goggles and dark gloves.
According to detectives, the suspect is a male, 26 – 35 years of age, 5’10” – 6’1″, brown hair with bleached blonde goatee with dark roots, entered the PNC bank confronted the teller, also implying that he had a bomb.
After receiving an undisclosed amount of currency, he fled the area on a blue mountain bike to an unknown make and model vehicle.
This earlier incident occurred on Wednesday, March, 18 around 5 p.m., the timing of which is similar to another bank robbery in the same area that occurred only days apart.
Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office detectives are still seeking the public’s assistance to identify and to catch the suspect(s).
HCSO is now also seeking the assistance of residents in connection with a recent robbery of the Wells Fargo Bank at 5606 FishHawk Crossing Blvd. in Lithia.
According to detectives, on Thursday, June 26 just after 12:30 p.m., an unidentified man and woman entered the bank. The female suspect held the bank occupants including a child at gunpoint with a semi-automatic handgun making demands, while the male suspect jumped the bank counter and put an undisclosed amount of cash into a black bag he was carrying.
Both suspects then ran from the bank and were last seen running through the parking lot.
The male suspect is described as in his late 30’s to 40’s, 230-250 lbs., short dark hair, light stubble facial hair, tan complexion. He was last seen wearing a tan baseball cap, aviator sunglasses, navy blue windbreaker, dark pants, clear gloves.
The female with fair complexion, 30-40 years old, 5’2″ – 5’3″, medium build, 150-180 lbs. was last seen wearing a dark baseball cap, dark bandanna under the ball cap, blonde hair, blue and white jacket, blue jeans.
Anyone with any information about the suspect(s) can call the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office at 247-8200 or anyone who wants to be eligible for a cash reward is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-873-TIPS (8477), report anonymously online at www.crimestopperstb.com or text “CSTB plus your tip” to C-R-I-M-E-S (274637).
